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Online Mediation Services for Separating Couples

Divorce Mediation Services by Accredited Family Mediators in Waterloo, ON

Waterloo, Divorce Mediation & Separation Agreements

If you are separating or divorcing in Waterloo, you may want to consider our divorce mediation services. Divorce mediation is an alternative to the adversarial court process.

We have been assisting couples with their separation and divorce since 2008.  Some of the  benefits of using our divorce mediation and Separation Agreement services are:

  • Save Time
  • Save Money
  • Reduce Stress

What is Divorce Mediation?

Divorce can be difficult and challenging. Divorce mediation is a less hostile alternative to traditional divorce proceedings, designed to make the entire process less complicated.

During Divorce Mediation, we create an environment that allows for both parties to reach an agreement in the presence of a neutral, Accredited Family Mediator, certified by The Ontario Association for Family Mediation. The process is collaborative, and helps both people find a common ground on different aspects of their separation, from financial matters to the parenting of your children.

Divorce mediation concludes with a legally binding Agreement, which offers a clear path forward for both you and your spouse.

Benefits of Divorce Mediation

  • Cost-Effective: Avoid the high expenses of court proceedings. Our mediation process involves a single mediator, significantly reducing costs, compared to hiring individual attorneys.
  • Privacy Assured: Mediation keeps your personal matters confidential, unlike public court hearings
  • Time-Saving: Mediation accelerates the agreement process. Unlike the lengthy court battles, our direct negotiation approach lets you decide the timeline.
  • Relationship Preservation: Our mediation fosters civil resolutions, helping maintain positive relationships post-divorce.
  • Personal Control: You have the power to decide on the terms of your separation, offering more personal satisfaction than court-imposed decisions.
  • Flexible Solutions: Personalize your Agreement to fit your unique family needs, a flexibility not possible in court.

As Accredited Family Mediators in Waterloo, We Can Guide You Through

For divorce, we can guide you through:

Child Support Calculations

All parents are legally obligated to support their children financially, regardless of their marital status or living arrangements. Child support covers essential living costs such as food, clothing, personal care, and primary and secondary educational expenses.

Our mediators will calculate the monthly child support, including any special or extraordinary costs, ensuring an equitable contribution towards your child’s needs.

Parenting Plans

A Parenting Plan is a roadmap for co-parenting after separation/divorce, designed to suit your family’s unique needs. It covers residential schedules, holiday arrangements, education, extracurricular activities, healthcare, travel, and parent communication. Creating a Parenting Plan can minimize future conflicts, foster stability, and provide clear guidelines. It also details the protocols for any future adjustments, for smooth parenting transitions.

Spousal Support Calculations

Spousal Support involves financial payments from one spouse to another after separation or divorce. Eligibility and amounts depend on various factors, unique to each marital or common-law situation.

Since calculating spousal support is complex, we do our best to simplify this process, offering guidance and information to help you reach a mutual agreement.

Property and Financial Settlements

Property division in separation often involves the higher-asset spouse making an “equalization payment” to balance out assets with the lower-asset spouse. These assets can take the form of homes, vehicles, bank accounts, investments, pensions, and businesses, along with debts like mortgages and loans.

Our mediators specialize in guiding you through this process, avoiding costly financial errors, leading to an equitable property equalization.

Legal Requirements for Divorce in Waterloo, Ontario

Divorce legally ends a marriage and allows for the parties to remarry. Grounds for divorce are limited to ‘marital breakdown’, demonstrated by living separately for a year, adultery, or cruelty. Most divorces are filed after a year’s separation.

A Separation Agreement alone doesn’t grant a divorce. To obtain a divorce, an application must be filed with a court in Canada. We assist couples in drafting and filing a Joint Divorce Application, streamlining the process towards official divorce proceedings.

Simplify Your Divorce With Our Expertly Drafted Separation Agreements

Book a FREE 30-minute, joint, online consultation to learn more about the mediation process and how we can support you through your separation and/or divorce.

Additional Resources on Separation and Divorce in Waterloo

Some cool facts about WAterloo that you probably did not know:

Waterloo is situated about 94 km west-southwest of Toronto. Due to the proximity of the city of Kitchener to Waterloo, the two together are often referred to as “Kitchener–Waterloo”, “K-W”, or “The Twin Cities”.
Mennonites from Pennsylvania were the first wave of immigrants to the area. One of the settlers, Abraham Erb, is often called the founder of the Village of Waterloo. In 1816, the town was officially incorporated and named after Waterloo, Belgium, the site of the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.
Waterloo became a popular destination for German immigrants. By the 1840s, German settlers had overtaken the Mennonites as the dominant segment of the population.

For full details about Waterloo and it’s history, visit the
Waterloo Wikipedia page. 

Frequently Asked Questions About Separation Agreements in Waterloo

What If Spouses Won't Sign Separation Agreement?

In such circumstances, it’s advisable to consult a lawyer. A legal professional can provide clarity on your legal rights and options, guiding you on the appropriate steps to proceed.

Does A Separation Agreement Need To Be Notarized?

A Separation Agreement is considered valid and enforceable if the document is signed by both parties, witnessed and dated. Having a Separation Agreement notarized is not necessary unless required by a financial institution or other outside service provider.

Do You Need A Separation Agreement Before Divorce?

Getting a divorce does not require a Separation Agreement in Waterloo, however, you will need to have certain arrangements in place prior to completing an Application for Divorce. If there are children involved, the courts will want to see proof of the residential and financial arrangements for the children and in some cases, the property settlement arrangements, before granting a divorce.

Is A Separation Agreement Legally Binding?

Separation Agreements are legally binding once they have been properly executed by both parties and meet the legal requirements of the Divorce Act and Family Law Act. For a Separation Agreement to be legally binding, it needs to be:

  • In writing
  • Voluntary, without coercion or duress
  • Inclusive of full financial disclosure
  • Fair and equitable
  • Signed, witnessed and dated
Can A Mediator Write A Separation Agreement in Waterloo?

The mediator will work with the parties to negotiate the terms of their separation. Once the negotiations have been completed the mediator can then write the terms into an Agreement, which the parties can sign or take to their lawyers for independent legal advice.

Who Can Witness A Separation Agreement in Waterloo?

In general, witnesses to a Separation Agreement should be impartial individuals who do not have anything to gain from the Agreement itself. These may include the following:

  • Legal or other professionals
  • Friends or family members (preferably not children of the marriage)
  • Any person of legal age and mentally competent


Ultimately, the goal is to ensure that the witnesses can verify the authenticity of the signatures on the document and attest that they observed the parties signing the agreement willingly and without coercion.

Can A Separation Agreement Be Overturned?

Even though Separation Agreements are meant to be final and decided by the parties involved, a court could potentially invalidate such an agreement later on, especially if there was coercion to sign, if the Agreement is unfair, or if the parties did not disclose full financial disclosure to each other.

Can A Family Member Witness A Separation Agreement in Waterloo?

Yes, in many cases, a family member can serve as a witness to a Separation Agreement, however, it’s essential to ensure that the family member is not directly involved in the agreement and does not have a vested interest in the outcome. Using a neutral family member as a witness can be acceptable, but it’s advisable to consult with a legal professional if you have any doubts.